I don’t need to remind you of the importance of a series win, especially against a sub .500 team. The Cubs have gone 10-10 over their last 20-games (as of 8/7/14), with eight of those 10 losses being rather convincing. In those games, opponents have outscored Chicago 79-34, for a differential of 45 runs. Though the Cubs have scored a few more runs than the Rays over the last month, their pitching staff posted a meaty 4.64 ERA and a 2.9 WAR in the same span. Compare that to the Rays 2.78 ERA and 4.3 WAR over the last month.
Author Archives: Schmitty
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Helly Strong, Rays Win 7-3
Had you told me, before the game, that Jeremy Hellickson would out pitch Sonny Gray, the Rays would tag Gray for six runs on 10 hits, and Jose Molina would go 2-3 with a walk, a sac-bunt, and an infield hit, I’d have laughed in your face. But low and behold, Tampa Bay salvaged the final game of their series with the Athletics by a score of 7-3, behind an outstanding vintage outing by Jeremy Hellickson, and an offensive onslaught against Sonny Gray. They were able to knock the A’s RHP out of the game after only 4-1/3 innings of work.
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Misplays and an Unproductive Offense Spoil Smyly’s Start
In May I wrote about just wanting to see the Tampa Bay Rays play consistent baseball, back when it seemed like a postseason berth was both improbable and impossible. Yet toward the beginning of June, the Rays started playing uber consistent, .700 ball, and the impossible almost seemed within reach — the odds of Tampa Bay making the postseason jumped from a sub 1% chance to a 15% chance over the course of a month and a half. But after dropping four of their last five, including last night’s disappointing 3-o loss to the Athletics, the Rays have dropped back down to a 3.9% chance of making the playoffs (per Fan Graphs).
X-Rays Spex Present Another Watch Party
On Friday, August 22nd at 7:00 p.m. X-Rays Spex, Green Bench Brewing Company, and Star Booty are teaming up to host another Rays Watch Party, when the Rays take on the Toronto Blue Jays, in Toronto. We’re bringing all of the camaraderie of the game and some delicious foodstuffs, all just a stones throw from The Trop.
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall in 10 Innings, 3-2
I’d like to think there was a risk/reward like situation afoot last night. I went through the effort of connecting my laptop to my television (I mean, who wants to watch baseball on a 14″ screen?), then it took me a few minutes to find a website from which to stream the game (thanks, strikeout.co), and finally I spent four hours live blogging the game while resisting the overwhelming urge to throw my tablet across the room out of frustration. And what was I rewarded with? A disheartening 3-2 loss in the 10th inning.